Weighing scale



July 4, 3? o R S. BGHANNAN WEIGHING SCALE s sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 13, 1941 m n m m in .in M 0 ATTORNEYS July 4 9 R s. BQHANNAN WEIGHING SCALE Filed June Y13, lQ/il 3 Sheds-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS July 4, 1944, FL s. BGHANNAN 352,935

WEIGHING SCALE Filed June 13, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheee T5 BY @Mgg/Wwf ATTORNEYS Patented July 4, 1944 WEIGHING SCALE Robert S. Bohannan, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Toledo Scale Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 13, 1941, Serial No. 397,945

1 Claim.

This invention relates to weighing scales of the 4typewherein the force transmission mechanism includes a hydraulic system, and more particularly to a weighing scale of this type for the weighing of railroadcars or other vehicles having long wheel bases.

In the building of scales for the weighing of railroad cars, or long Wheel base motor trucks, one of the most serious problems has been encountered in the construction of the platforms. Due to the extreme length of such vehicles, platform structures for this type of scale must consist of heavy structural steel beams braced and supported much in the same manner as a bridge from which construction such platforms derive the name Weighbrldges These heavy platform support beams are very expensive.

A second problem in the construction of scales of this type arises from the necessity of using long' and heavy main platform levers to support the weighbridge and to transmit the load to the head of the scale. The construction of these long and heavy levers is even more diilicult than the weighbridge itself since they must be so made as to permit pivots and bearings to be carefully located so that the corners of the scale can be properly sealed out.

A third major problem in the construction of such scales results from the deep and long pit which must ,be excavated, braced and lined with concrete to provide a space within which the main levers and the heavy platform beams can be located. The construction of this pit is at best a lengthy and expensive operation.

By far the greater proportion of the total installed cost of such a railroad track or motor vehicle scale is represented by the steel for bracing the platform, the material for and fabricating cost of the large main levers and the expense of excavation and lining the scale pit.

It is an object of this invention to provide a scale for the weighing of railroad cars or long wheel base motor vehicles in which the common long, heavy, and expensive weighbridge is eliminated. l

It is a further object of this invention to provide a weighing scale of this type in which the ordinary heavy and expensive main platform levers are entirely eliminated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a weighing scale for the weighing of railroad cars, or long wheel base motor vehicles, in the installation of which it is unnecessary to excavate the usual deep and long scale pit.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a weighing scale having a plurality of platforms, each one of which is adapted to receive certain Wheels of the vehicle being weighed and on each one of which, if desired, weighing can be done without use of the other platforms.

More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of scale embodying the invention.

In the drawings: Fig. I is a view in front elevation of a scale embodying the invention, the ground level being broken away to more clearly show the platform construction.

Fig. II is a plan' view of the scale illustrated in Fig. I.

Fig. III is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line III--III of Fig. II.

Fig. IV is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the weight counterbalancing and indicating mechanism.

Fig. V is a, further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the pressure responsive elements of the scale and their associated parts.

Fig. VI is a somewhat reduced vertical sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. V.

Fig. VII isa detailed view in elevation of a member of the force combining mechanism of the scale.

Fig. VIII is a plan view of a scale embodying a modification of the invention.

Fig, IX is an enlarged fragmentary vertical view in elevation similar to Figure V but showing the associated parts as used in the scale illustrated in Fig. VlII.

Fig. X is a detailed view in elevation of a member of the force combining mechanism of the scale illustrated in Fig. VIII.

These specific drawings and the specific description that follows merely disclose and illustrate the invention and are not intended to impose limitations upon the claim.

Certain mechanism illustrated generally in the accompanying drawings but which does not constitute part of the instant invention vis fully described in my copending application Serial No.

l299,832., filed Oct. 17, 1939, now Patent N0.

of frame members Il which support live weighing rails I4 in line with the dead rails Il of the siding on which the scale is located. Dead decks IB are constructed over the scale pits I2 to prevent the accumulation of refuse and water therein.

Each of the platform structures Il is supported, by means of balls I1, upon upper plates IB of the capsules II. 'I'he capsules II are arranged in the scale pits I2 as shown in Figures I and II. 'I'he upper capsule plates Il are supported upon flexible diaphragms I2 which confine a quantity of liquid within the capsules II. Attached to each of the capsules Il is a pipe 20 which leads from the pits I2 to the head of the scale where it is connected to its respective pressure responsive chamber 2| (Fig. V). The pressure responsive chambers 2| are mounted on brackets within the main scale housing 22 (Fig. I) Located within each of the pressure responsive chambers 2| is a vertically disposed metallic bellows 23 (Fig. V) having an open lower end through which ample, on shelf lever 21a, will be shown by the indicator 45 on the chart 40 through the connecbodying a modification of the invention.

extends a strut 24 having attached to its lower end a clevis-held bearing 25.

The space within the pressure responsive chamber 2|, between its walls and the metallic bellows 2l, is in communication with the respective capsule I by means of the pipe 20.

Each of the bearings 2l rests on an individual load pivot 20 of a shelf lever 21. For each platform structure I there is a corresponding shelf lever 21 which is fulcrumed on a bracket carried by the housing 22; these shelf levers 21 being located one above the other and parallel to each other. 'I'he lowermost shelf lever 21 has a nose pivot 28 in the end opposite its fulcrum point which rests in a bearing 29 attached to the lower end of a vertical pull rod lll. The vertical pull rod III carries a two-armed yoke II at its upper end, in each arm of which there is located a bearing 32. The upper shelf lever 21a has a double directional nose pivot Il in the end opposite its fulcrum point. The nose pivot 23 has a downwardly turned knife edge I4 which rests in a bearing l carried in the lower end of a vertical actuating rod 28. The nose pivot 33 also has two upwardly turned knife edges 31 on which rest the bearings I2 of the yoke 3| connected to the upper end of the vertical pull rod 30. The vertical actuating rod 36 extends upwardly, through the main housing 22, intoa dial housing Il where itis connected, through a multiplying lever 39, a tie rod 4U and metallic ribbons 4I, to weight counterbalancing pendulums 42 which are supported by metallic ribbons 43 on a subframe 44 mounted within the dial housing I8. An indicator 45 is connected to the pendulums 42 and swings over a chart 46 to indicate the total weight of the loads placed upon one or all of the platform structures l0.

When a railroad car is placed upon the live rails I4, the load creates a pressure in the capsules which is transmitted by means of the pipes to the pressure chambers 2|. The capsules II, supporting one of the platform structures III, are all individually connected to the pressure responsive chambers 2| which actuate one of the shelf levers 21 or 21a. Since the shelf lever 21 for example, is connected to the weight counterbalancing mechanismfby means of the pull rod 30, the yoke 3|, the pivot 33 and the actuating rod 38, a load placed upon the platform structure associated with the shelf lever 21 will be indicated on the dial 46 by means of the indicator 45. Similarly, a load placed upon another one of the platforms of the scale acting, for extions between the shelf lever 21a, the pivot 38 and the actuating rod 38.

The total load of a railway car, positioned with one of its trucks upon each of the platform struc- `tures II), will be shown on the dial 4B by the combined forces transmitted to the shelf levers 21 and 21a, the total of which forces acts upon the counterbalancing mechanism, through their lnterconnection at the double directional nose pivot I3.

Figures VIII, IX and X illustrate a scale em- 'Ihree or more platforms Illa. are supported upon capsules IIa located within a scale pit I2a. The construction of the capsules I la is identical with the construction of the capsules already described. In this case, however, the platforms Illa are intended for the Weighing of long wheel base motor vehicles, and in particular multiple wheeled combination trucks and semi-trailers and are, therefore, live decks supported directly upon the capsules Ila. Attached. to each of the capsules IIa is a pipe 20a, which leads from the capsule IIa to the head of the scale where it is `connected to its respective pressure responsive chamber 2Ia.

The pressure responsive chambers 2Ia are arranged in groups corresponding to the grouping of the capsules IIa which support each of the platforms lila. Each of these groups of pressure responsive chambers has, associated with it, a shelf lever 21o, which is fulcrumed in a bracket carried by the housing 22a and serves to combine the forces exerted in the individual pressure responsive chambers 2 I a of the group. Each of the shelf levers 21h and their associated parts are identical with the shelf levers 21 or 21a (Fig. V). The principal difference between the scale illustrated in Figure VIII and that illustrated in Figure II is the addition of another platform structure ||Ia and another tier comprising a group of pressure responsive chambers 2Ia, a shelf lever 21h, an additional vertical pull rod 30a and double directional nose pivot 33a.

As described with reference to the scale illustrated in Figure l1, a load can be weighed upon the scale illustrated in Figure VIII employing any or all of the platform structures Ia, depending upon the length of the wheel base of the motor vehicle being weighed.

The principle of the combining levers 21, and the combining vertical pull rods 30, is such that regardless of the number of platforms I0, the

`pressure created by that portion of the total load which rests on each of the platforms of the scale will be combined with that created by that portion of the load on each of the other platforms and transmitted to the weight counterbalancing and indicating members of the scale so that the total weight of the entire load Will be correctly indicated. For example: if a railway car were being weighed on the scale illustrated in Figure II. per cent of the total weight of the car being supported by one of the platforms and 25 per cent by the other, the indication on the scale would be the full per cent of the load. The pressure created in each of the individual hydraulic systems comprising a capsule I I, associated pipe 2U and pressure responsive chamber 2|, would be combined by the shelf lever 21 to exert a pull proportional to the load carried by the individual platform associated with that particular shelf lever 21. One shelf lever would thus exert a 75 yper cent pull which would be combined with and augmented by the 25 per cent pull being exerted by the other shelf lever by means of the double directional nose pivot 33 and its associated parts. When the shelf lever exerting the 75 per cent pull, moved the vertical actuating rod 36 downward a suicient amount to y cause the load counterbalanclng mechanism to counterbalance this force, the pull rod 30 would also have been moved downwardly. 'Ihe 25 per cent pull exerted by the other shelf lever 21 would cause that shelf lever to "follow-up the balance of the mechanism, and, having followed, it would still be exerting a 25 per cent pull. Since the. load counterbalancing mechanism would have, thus far, only counterbalanced the I'I5 per cent pull, it would now move further to counteribalance the additional 25 per cent. Similarly, the shelf lever exerting the 75 per cent pull would "follow-up the remaining 25 per cent movement of the mechanism.

As a second example: if a motor vehicle were being weighed on the scale illustrated in Figure VHI, and all of the platforms shown were employed in the weighing operation, the combining oi' the total load would be similar to that which is described. If, however, the vehicle had a short wheel base, the third platform would have no load at all upon it. Since the shelf lever 2l im..

plurality of capsules supporting each of said load' receivers, a plurality of pressure responsive chambers, each of said capsules being in communication with one of said chambers, said chambers being associated in groups, a combining lever actuated by each of said groups of pressure responsive chambers and vertically disposed linkage members connecting each pair of neighboring combining levers, said linkage members holding said combining levers parallel to each other and all of said linkage members constituting a connection for transmitting force to said load counterbalancing device.

ROBERT S. BOHANNAN. 

